Today with rising costs, high unemployment, and an ailing economy, many are earning money by making crafts from home to help with the family finances. Making original crafts to sell doesn’t have to be difficult, even if you haven’t typically been interested in crafting before. When you know what materials you need, what to do with them, and how to do it, you might just be surprised at the creative and beautiful things you can make for a gift…or to sell. Here’s one quick and easy craft that’s useful and sells easily.
Flower recipe holders are wonderful little helpers in the kitchen and you don’t need to spend lots of money to get started. In most cases, you already have the items you need. A holder will keep the recipe card off of flour-covered countertops and away from grease splatters and spills. At the same time, it displays your recipe so it’s closer to eye level making it much easier to read.
You’ll need a small wooden dowel, a wooden snap clothespin, green spray paint, a clean tuna or small soup can, plaster of Paris, glue, strong tape, and a “flower” that’s been cut from a magazine, wallpaper, or stiff fabric. Attach the clothespin to the dowel making sure the clothespin handle faces down and the “claw” end faces up. This is what will hold the recipe card. Rather than use glue that can dislodge with pressure, it’s better to glue it, but then secure it by using wire or heavy tape.
Now spray paint the entire dowel and clothespin green since this is the “stem”. Put plaster of Paris 1 1/2″ deep into the can, stand the green dowel into the center, and let dry. While waiting, cut out your flower pattern making it 2″ to 3″ in diameter since this will be glued onto the clothespin to hide it. If you’d also like to decorate the can, Contac paper with ribbon works well.
Once the plaster of Paris has dried, the flower cut-out is glued to the clothespin and the can is decorated with paper and ribbon, clip a favorite family recipe card onto your holder. It will dress up any countertop or it can be sold at a craft fair or even online.
If you prefer the sewing machine instead of the glue, here’s a quick make-up or traveling bag you might like to make that can also be given or sold. Begin with 2 pieces of 4″ x 8″ fabric. Sew wrong sides together on all four sides to double the thickness.
Fold the short sides together with the fold on the bottom making sure your favorite fabric faces to the inside. Sew right sides together on both side edges. Then turn the bag right side out to apply the zipper to the long open side for the closure. If you’d like to dress it up, you can add decorative rick-rack, sequins, ribbon, beads, or anything else you’d like.
Easy and functional crafts can be made from most anything you already have in your home. Remember the old adage; “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” So turn your trash into a treasure of your own in the form of extra dollars for your own family.